Nissan shows strong sales in January, and Bhutan embraces the LEAF

GRN Reports: Nissan Motor Co. reported strong annual production and sales export figures for Jan. 2014, with an increase of 13.7 percent in production in Japan compared to last January....

GRN Reports:

Nissan Motor Co. reported strong annual production and sales export figures for Jan. 2014, with an increase of 13.7 percent in production in Japan compared to last January.

Production increased mainly due to demand for the Nissan Serena, the new X-Trail, Skyline and Infiniti Q50.

In the US, production increased 11.8% year-on-year to 90,470 units, an all-time sales record for the month.

But the company’s signature electric LEAF was not the reason. The LEAF, which has faced slower than hoped-for adoption in the US, where it seems stuck somewhere above “affordable” and below “cool and sporty” (like its rival the mostly-electric Volt).

Nissan’s greenest car was a contributor to the 4.3 percent increase in production in the United Kingdom, according to the car maker, though it was fuel-efficient gasoline-powered Versa that propelled a similar production increase in Mexico.

But let’s talk about Bhutan.

The LEAF, Nissan reports, has been finding love in various places, entering into special deals with more than 100 cities, states and nations, such as Bhutan.

Last week, the King of Bhutan, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, accepted two 2014 LEAFS, as the first of a planned government fleet of the cars.

Bhutan, which imports gasoline from India but generates its own hydroelectric power, is well positioned to take advantage of electric cars and wants to achieve zero emissions by a yet unnamed date, said Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay.